Switch



Patented Oct. 20, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH ApplicationSeptember 12, 1934, Serial No. 743,675

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in switches.

It is the object of the invention to provide a novel and simple form ofself-centering switch in nism embodying this invention as it appearswith v the cover ofits-casing removed.

Figure 2 is a View of the mechanism in section in the plane indicated at2 2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view illustrating in perspective the relativelyseparated component parts which move in the operation of the switch.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

The switch casing comprises a cup-shaped casing member 4 having acentral opening about which an annular flange 5 is formed for connectionwith a bracket 6. The casing cover 1 has a registering opening providedwith a like flange at 8. The rivets 9 and ID hold the cover and thecup-shaped casing member together and also serve as stops for the springII and the contact actuator I2, as hereinafter described.

Journaled in the flanges 5 and 8 and exposed in the casing openings, arethe reduced end portions I4 of a tubular trunnion member I5 having adiametrical slot at I6. The operating shaft l1 is receivable into eitherend of trunnion I5 and is provided With a keyway I8 adapted toberegistered with slot I6. The contact actuator I2 may comprise a pieceof dielectric material formed to provide spring engaging arms I9 and 20so joined with the platelike body lof the actuator I2 as to providerests at 2| into which the rivet pins 9 and Ill are receivable to permitof the oscillatory movement of the actuator within predetermined limits.The intermediate portion of the actuator is provided with a largeopening at 23 which corresponds in diameter to the trunnion I5 but intowhich project the relatively long and short fingers 24 and 25respectively, these fingers being preferably stamped integrally with theactuator plate I2. Both of these fingers are receivable into thediametrical slot I6 of trunnion I5. The longer finger 24 is of sucientlength so that it passes through the slot I6 (Cl. ZOO- 8) of thetrunnion into the keyway I8 of the operating shaft I1. Thus the actuatorI2 receives motion directly from the operating shaft but serves also tokey the shaft, trunnion and actuator together so that these parts rotateas a unit. 5

The spring Il comprises a nat strip of spring metal maintained under apredetermined initial tension by the relation of the rivet pins il andI0 to the trunnion I5. It will be noted that the lower surfaces of therivet pins are in a plane 10 which is below the upper surface of thetrunnion member I5. Thus when the spring strip is inserted over thetrunnion and beneath the rivet pins as shown in Fig. 1, it will beflexed and will thereby be cause-d to offer a more substantial op- 15position to the movement of the actuator I2 than would otherwise be thecase. The length of the arms I9 and 2l] is such that when the spring isinserted as above described the end of each arm Will be immediatelyadjacent one end of the spring, to act upon the spring immediatelyfollowing the initial oscillation of the actuator in either direction.Crystallization of the spring metal is avoided by the fact that thespring is flexed in the same direction by the movement of the actu- 25ator in either direction.

Inasmuch as the spring is under initial distortionand always tends toseat itself against one or the other of the rivet pins 9 or I0, uponbeing displaced therefrom, it follows that the spring will always tendto maintain the device centered and it cannot become distorted in such away as to tend to hold the actuator off center. As soon as the actuatoris returned to center it is relieved of all spring pressure.

The casi-ng carries suitable xed contacts 2l, 28 and 29 in itsperiphery. These contacts are suitably insulated from the casing asshown in Fig. 2 and are provided with exterior terminal screws. y

The moving contactor comprises a contact spring 30 slightly arched withits ends in pressure engagement with the inner surfaces of thedielectric segments which are fitted to the interior ofthe casing aboutthe contacts. The con- 45 tactor lies substantially upon a minor chordof the casing and hence, in the neutral position of the actuatonisadapted to span the contact 29 as shown in Fig. 1.

The contactor is marginally notched 4at 32 (Fig. 3) and the web portion33 between the notches is engaged in a notch 34 of contact carrier 35.The'lower extremity of the actuating plate I2 and the upper portion ofthe contact carrier 35, are respectively notched, as best shown in Fig.2, so that the carrier 35 is firmly interlocked with the actuator I2against either axial or angular movement with respect thereto. Thepressure of the contactor 30 not only maintains its end portions ineffective operative engagement with the contacts encountered therebyduring its oscillation, but also maintains the contactor fixed in thenotch of the contact carrier and holds the contact carrier firmlyengaged and interlocked with the actuator.

The fact that the contact actuator I2 is made of dielectric materialadequately insulates the contactor 30 from the shaft and switch casing.The carrier 35 may be metallic. It is restrained from contact with thewalls of the casing by the actuator plate I2, which in turn is preventedfrom axial movement by means of the spring II.

It will be noted that the spring is closely fitted between the back ofthe casing and its cover, and is slotted at 31 to receive the actuatorI2. Thus, when all the parts are assembled vas described, the operatingshaft I1, the trunnion member I5, the actuator I2, the contact carrier35, and the contactor 30 are all movable as a unit about the axis ofshaft II. The trunnion member I5 and parts mounted therein within thecasing are all permanently assembled with the casing. The operatingshaft I1, however, is not fastened within the casing and may beoperatively moved axially to and from engagement with the switchmechanism.

It is particularly desired to call attention to the multiplicity offunctions performed by the several parts of this device, whereby thenumber of parts has been greatly reduced as compared with other switcheshaving like functions.

The rivet pins 9 and I 0 not only hold the casing cover to the casingcup, but also serve as stops for the actuator I2, and also serve tomaintain the spring II under a predetermined minimum pressure and torelieve the switch actuator of pressure when the actuator is centered asshown in Fig. 1.

The spring I I not only serves to center the contact actuator and thecontactor following each switching operation, but also serves toposition the actuator I2 against axial movement Within the switchcasing, and the actuator I2 serves not only to transmit motion from thetrunnion member I5 to the contactor, but also Serves to pick up spring II when the actuator is moved in either direction from center and isfurther adapted to key the trunnion member to the operating shaft whenthe operating shaft is inserted therein.

The contactor 30 serves not merely to connect the contact 29alternatively with contacts 2`I or 28, but also serves, through itsreaction pressure, to maintain the contact carrier 35 from beinginterlocked both with the actuator I2 and the contactor spring 30.

I claim:

1. In a switch, the combination with an oscillatable member, of acontact actuator carried by said member and oscillatable therewith, aspring element disposed transversely of said member, a pair of stopsmaintaining said spring element under pressure and comprising meanslimiting the movement of said member, and arms carried by said memberand adapted in the intermediate position thereof to lie closely adjacentsaid spring means and adapted to move said spring means from said stopin either direction of oscillation of said actuator from said position.

2. The combination with a slotted member mounted for oscillation, of acontact actuator provided with a lug tted to said slot and axiallymovable therein for the assembly of the parts and a flat spring adaptedto act on said actuator, and means constraining said spring againstdisplacement, said spring having a slot in which said actuator isconfined whereby said actuator is positioned in the slotted member.

3. In a switch, the combination with an oscillatory member, of a pair ofstop pins spaced at opposite sides of said member, a distorted springstrip between said member and pins having its ends biased into pressureengagement with said pins, and an actuator carried by said member andoscillatable between said pins, said actuator having arms alternativelyengageable with free end portions of said spring strip in a direction toincrease the distortion of said strip upon movement of said actuator ineither direction of oscillation from a predetermined central position,whereby such movement is resiliently opposed by said spring strip.

4. In a switch, the combination with a casing, of a trunnion memberjournaled for oscillation therein and provided with a slot, an actuatorapertured to receive said trunnion member and. having a lug portionreceivable in the slot thereof, contact means carried by said actuator,and an Operating shaft provided with a keyway and receivable into saidtrunnion member with its keyway in registering engagement with the endof the lug of said actuator.

5. In a switch, the combination with a casing, of a trunnion memberjournaled for oscillation therein, a contact actuator splined to saidtrunnion member, a fiat spring disposed transversely of said trunnionmember and slotted to receive said actuator, arms carried by saidactuator and lying adjacent the ends of said spring in an intermediateposition of said actuator, whereby to pick up said spring upon movementof said actuator in either direction from said position, stop meansagainst which the ends of said spring are engaged in the intermediateposition of the actuator, and a contactor connected with said actuatorand adapted to be moved in either direction from said position againstthe resilient opposition of said spring.

6. In a switch, the combination with a casing provided with relativelyfixed contacts adjacent its inner periphery, of a trunnion memberjournaled for oscillation adjacent the center of the casing and axiallyslotted, a contact actuator mounted on said trunnion member and providedwith lug means engaged in the slot thereof, a spring strip slotted toreceive said actuator and bearing on the top of said trunnion member,pin means against which the end portions of said spring strip areengaged under pressure, arms carried by said contact actuator anddisposed in an intermediate position thereof in close proximity to thefree end portions of said spring strip, a spring contactor disposedsubstantially on a minor chord of said casing and of such span as to beadapted to connect the contacts thereof upon displacement from theintermediate position of said actuator, and means connecting saidcontactor with said actuator to partake of the movement of said actuatorand trunnion member in opposition to said spring strip in bothdirections of oscillation.

'7. The combination with an oscillatable contact actuator having armsprojecting oppositely along its path of oscillation of a centralsupport, a spring strip carried thereby and having end portions disposedrespectively in the path of movement of said arms and engageable by therespective arms in the oscillation of said actuator, the ends of saidstrip being resiliently yieldable under the thrust of the respectivearms in the direction of oscillation of the actuator, and stop meanswith which the ends of said strip are normally engaged under an initialbias in said direction and in positions normally free of said arms,whereby said arms pick up one or the other end of said strip in eitherdirection of oscillation to increase the deflection of said strip.

8. In a switch, the combination with means supporting stationarycontacts in arcuate series, of a contact actuator oscillatable about theaxis of the arc on which said contacts are disposed, means carriedthereby provided with fingers spaced at opposite sides of said arc, anda resiliently iiexible contactar notched to receive said ngers in itsintermediate portion and having its free end portions resiliently biasedfor engagement with the respective contacts in the course of itsmovement in said arc.

9. In a switch, the combination with a casing providing terminalcontacts in an annular periphery, of a contactor oscillatablesubstantially about the axis of said annular periphery, contact meanscarried by said actuator and movable about the interior periphery ofsaid casing to bridge the terminal contacts therein, a spring extendingacross said axis and having its end portions free, means supporting theintermediate portion of the spring, stops maintaining said spring undertension across said supporting means, said stops being locatedintermediate the central portion and the respective ends of the spring,and arms connected with said actuator and respectively disposed outsideof said stops in positions to engage the respective ends of the springupon oscillation of the actuator in either direction about said axis.

10. Ina switch, the combination with a casing or annular form providedin its periphery with spaced terminal contacts in arcuate series, offulcrum means adjacent the center of the casing, a plate-like contactactuator mounted at its intermediate portion upon said fulcrum means andprovided at one side thereof with a substantially radial slot and at theother thereof with arcuately extending arms, a contact carrier having aslotted portion interlocked with the slotted portion of said actuatorand provided with fingers spaced at opposite sides of the series inwhich said contacts are disposed, a spring contactor having anintermediate portion engaged by said ngers and having its free endsbiased for engagement with the contacts in said ser-ies, stops at eitherside of the path of oscillation of said actuator, and a spring bentacross said fulcrum means and engaged under tension by said stops, theends of said spring being free and exposed in the path of movement ofsaid arms for engagement by the respective arms upon oscillation of theactuator in either direction.

ROBERT K. WINNING.v

